Naomi Osaka fought through injury and raw emotion to reach the quarterfinals of the Japan Open on Wednesday, choking back tears after hitting the winning shot against defending champion Suzan Lamens.
The top seed, competing in a singles tournament in her native Japan for the first time in three years, prevailed 7-6 (8-6), 3-6, 6-2 to set up a last-eight clash with Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian.
“Emotionally I was going through a lot in this match,” Osaka admitted. “And then in the third set I tried my best to have no regrets.”
The former world No. 1 had built a commanding 5-0 lead in the final set in Osaka when she took a medical timeout to receive treatment on her left leg, underscoring both her determination and resilience.
She returned with heavy strapping on her thigh and lost the next two games before closing out the match in 2 hours, 20 minutes.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka hit a backhand winner, then bent over and put her hand to her face before walking to the net, appearing to fight back tears.
Osaka said she had taken painkillers but admitted that her injury “doesn’t feel good.”
“I couldn’t really move that well,” she said. “It’s not good, but I think I’m a fast healer, so it should be OK for my next match.”
The 27-year-old is playing in her first tournament since reaching the U.S. Open semifinals, where she lost to Amanda Anisimova of the United States.
Osaka had not advanced to the second week of a major since winning the Australian Open for a second time in 2021. She is now ranked 16th in the world.
